By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - There is a new face behind the pulpit at Franklin A.M.E. Church, located on Sycamore Street in Niles.
The Rev. Jared Graves, 36, of Benton Harbor, has been assigned as the pastor of the church, as Rev. Harry Pierson retired in August.
Besides his pastoral duties, Graves, a Benton Harbor native, is also a Benton Harbor City Police officer, where he is the school resource program officer and a community service officer.
He received his bachelors degree in criminal justice and sociology from Wilburforce University, in Wilburforce, Ohio.
Graves has had an interest in the ministry since he was a young child.
When he was about 11-years-old Graves became an acolyte for a fourth district bishop of the A.M.E. church.
As he got older Graves said he started to drift away from the Lord, but then in 2000, after going through a divorce and different things in his life, he went back to the church and asked the Lord what his plan for him was.
Most recently Graves was the pastor at Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church, in Cassopolis, but was moved to Niles after the Cassopolis location was closed due to declining membership.
Graves is excited to have been assigned to the Niles church.
Graves added he absolutely loves being a minister. If given the chance to leave the police force and become a minister full-time he would do so.
In the coming months Graves hopes to become involved in the work which is being done around the neighborhood.